&QUOT;A giant leap for mankind. It's beginning to look like a stumble in the dark.&QUOT;

September 9th, 1999: Commander John Koenig arrives at Moonbase Alpha to supervise a manned probe mission to the newly discovered planet Meta. Nine astronauts have been killed by a mysterious illness and Dr. Helena Russell is convinced that radiation is the cause. An investigation of the Moon's nuclear waste disposal areas reveals no sign of radiation leakage but intense heat is registered and Professor Victor Bergman suggests that increased magnetic output is the real threat. One of the nuclear waste areas explodes and the only way to avert a major disaster is to disperse the remaining nuclear waste canisters, but a sudden increase in magnetic radiation sets off a chain reaction which alters the Moon's gravitational field and throws the satellite out of Earth orbit.

Filming began on Space:1999's premiere episode on Monday, November 5th, 1973 with special effects shooting at Bray Studios. Principle photography began on L & M stages at Pinewood Studios a month later, on Monday, December 3rd, 1973, and continued for six weeks (four weeks longer than scheduled). Three additional filming days were then required to complete the episode late in February 1974 at the end of filming on Black Sun. This was primarily due to director Lee H. Katzin's insistence on filming each scene in the minutest detail, shooting scenes over and over again to capture reaction shots of each member of the cast. Originally contracted for the whole series, Katzin only directed one other episode (Black Sun) before he was 'let go'. Katzin has previously worked with Martin Landau and Barbara Bain on Mission: Impossible and had also directed episodes of Branded, The Wild, Wild West, Rat Patrol, Mannix, It Takes A Thief and Police Story. He went on to direct episodes of The Quest, The Man From Atlantis, The Yellow Rose, Automan, Miami Vice and The Young Riders.

Lon Satton, previously seen as C.I.A. agent Harold Strutter in Live And Let Die (1973), was originally intended to be a series regular as Benjamin Ouma, but other members of the cast found him difficult to work with and he was not re-contracted for further episodes.

Breakaway was originally scripted as a 90-minute episode by George Bellak who takes sole on-screen writer's credit, although his script was completely re-written by Christopher Penfold.

Guest Artists:

Roy Dotrice is probably best-known for his starring roles as Father in the 1988 Beauty And The Beast television series, but prior to that he starred as Curé Ponosse in the BBC's Clochemerle and as Charles Dickens in ITV's Dickens Of London. Since the early 1980s, he has worked extensively in American television with guest appearances in Magnum p.i., Tales Of The Gold Monkey, Remington Steele, The A Team, The Equalizer, Hunter, Murder She Wrote (three times), Tales From The Darkside, Faerie Tale Theatre, Babylon 5Strange Luck, Earth 2 and Sliders. Dotrice's feature film appearances include The Heroes Of Telemark (1965), Nicholas And Alexandra (1971), Tales From The Crypt (1972), Amadeus (1984), Shaka Zulu (1987), Suburban Commando (1991) and The Scarlet Letter (1995). Most recently, he has appeared in a number of regular television roles - Doctor Croft in Going To Extremes, Father Gary Barrett in Picket Fences and Mr. Big in Mr & Mrs Smith - and recently featured in a recurring role as Zeus in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. He reprised his role as Commissioner Simmonds in Earthbound.

Philip Madoc is a familiar face on British television, having starred as Detective Chief Supt. Tate in Target, Sir Henry Bull in Poldark, Lloyd George in The Life And Times Of David Lloyd George, Von Flugel in Fortunes Of War and Lancing in First Born. He has made numerous guest appearances in series such as Doctor Who, The Avengers, Man In A Suitcase, The Champions, Department S, Randall And Hopkirk Deceased and Survivors, as well as two appearances in Gerry Anderson's UFO - A Question Of Priorities and Destruction. His feature film roles include A High Wind In Jamaica (1965), The Quiller Memorandum, Daleks' Invasion Earth: 2150 AD (1966), Gerry Anderson's Doppelgänger (1968), Dr. Jekyll And Sister Hyde (1972) and Operation Daybreak (1976). Most recently, Madoc starred as Welsh detective DCI Noel Bain in the Channel 5 series A Mind To Kill.

&QUOT;You face power beyond your understanding. It will destroy you.&QUOT;

An Eagle returns from a reconnaissance flight to the planet Terra Nova with the pilots catatonic and an extra man on board. Helena identifies him as her husband, Lee Russell, the pilot of Astro 7 lost in the vicinity of Jupiter in 1994. However, examination of Russell shows peculiarities in his life signs and Professor Bergman determines that he is gradually turning into anti-matter! In obvious distress, Russell warns the Alphans to stay away from the planet, but is unable to explain why. Inexplicably, the man dies and his body disappears. Disregarding Russell's warnings, Koenig and Helena lead a landing party to Terra Nova where they find a paradise environment, perfect for the Alphans. But disaster strikes when the planet apparently turns against them...

Charles Crichton directs the first of fourteen episode of Space:1999, more than any other director working on the series. A British Film Industry legend, Crichton began his career as an editor on Sanders Of The River (1935) and went on to work on Things To Come (1936) and The Thief Of Bagdad (1940) before graduating to director, making his feature film directorial debut on For Those In Peril (1944). His best-known works are the Ealing comedies The Lavender Hill Mob (1951) and The Titfield Thunderbolt (1953) and, more recently, his last feature film A Fish Called Wanda (1988). Throughout the 1960s and 70s, he worked extensively in filmed television as well, directing episodes of Danger Man, Man Of The World, The Avengers, Man In A Suitcase, Strange Report, Dick Turpin, Return Of The Saint, Smuggler and The Professionals. He had previously worked for Gerry Anderson on the second season of The Protectors.

Although writer Art Wallace receives the primary credit for the screenplay, his original script was unworkable and had to be completely re-written by Johnny Byrne. Wallace had previously written Obsession and Assignment: Earth for Star Trek's second season.

Clifton Jones makes his series debut as David Kano, replacing Lon Satton who had appeared as Benjamin Ouma in Breakaway.

Although the second episode to go before the cameras, the incidental music for this episode was composed and recorded first. Some of the music featured in this episode was originally recorded in 1966 for the "Alan's Dream" sequence in the Thunderbirds Are Go feature film.

The episode reveals that a total evacuation of Alpha will take 48 hours.

Guest Artists:

Richard Johnson has been a leading man of British theatre and film for over three decades. He made his feature film debut in Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951) and went on to appear in Never So Few (1959), The Haunting (1963), Khartoum (1966) and Deadlier Than The Male (1966). His television appearances include episodes of Wagon Train, Route 66, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Lou Grant, A Man Called Ironside, Tales From The Crypt, Knots Landing, Dempsey & Makepeace, McGuyver, Murder She Wrote and three episodes of Tales Of The Unexpected. He was also seen as Dr. Watson in The Crucifer Of Blood, and appeared as Oliver in the controversial The Camomile Lawn. Johnson's film appearances since Space:1999 include Aces High (1976), Screamers (1980), The Monster Club (1980) and January Man (1989).

Stuart Damon (real name Stuart Zonis) made his screen debut as Prince Charming in a 1964 television adaptation of Cinderella but he is best-known for his starring roles as Craig Stirling in The Champions, Corporal Rossi in Yanks Go Home and Allain Quartermain in the long-running American soap General Hospital. He has also been seen in The Saint, The Adventurer, The New Avengers, two episodes of Fantasy Island, Perry Mason and the popular UFO episode Mindbender, as well as the feature films Young Doctors In Love (1982), Star 80 (1983) and Silent Assassins (1988). He appeared again in Space:1999 as Tony Verdeschi's brother in The Bringers Of Wonder.

Screenplay by David WeirDirected by Lee H. KatzinEdited by Mike Campbell

&QUOT;Do you have any idea what'll happen to us inside the black sun?&QUOT;&QUOT;Whatever it is, I just hope it's interesting.&QUOT;

The Moon is drawn inexorably towards a black sun, an area of intense gravitational pull that is the remains of a collapsed stellar mass. A reconnaissance Eagle is torn apart by the phenomenon and Koenig estimates that the Alphans have only three days before they suffer the same fate! Bergman designs a force shield which offers a slim chance for those on the base but Koenig also elects to launch a survival Eagle with a crew of six, in the hope that they might escape the pull of the sun and find a planet to live on. As the Moon plunges into the sun, Koenig and Bergman become discorporeal and meet an omnipotent being who reveals the secrets of the universe...

Filming Schedule:

Thursday, January 31st - Thursday, February 21st, 1974

Original UK Airdate: Thursday, November 6th, 1975 (ATV Midlands)

Notes:

Martin Landau, Barbara Bain and Barry Morse have all cited this episode as their favourite of the whole series. It was intended to be shown very early in the series' run (ideally as episode two), as the conclusion serves as a device to get the Moon out of the Solar System and hundreds of light years from Earth into regions of space where stars and planetary systems are much closer together. Unfortunately, on original transmission Black Sun was shown as episode ten, by which time viewers had already seen the Alphans visiting other star systems and habitable planets - consequently, the series suffered from adverse criticism for scientific inaccuracy. The episode also introduces the concept of an omnipotent being who is guiding the Alphans' journey towards some unknown destiny.

It is revealed that Victor Bergman has a mechanical heart, which saves his life here when he is electrocuted.

Some of the themes of this episode were later explored by Gerry Anderson and Johnny Byrne in the 1975 TV pilot The Day After Tomorrow.

Guest Artists:

Paul Jones (real name Paul Pond) made his name as the lead singer with Manfred Mann, but as an actor his film appearances include Priviledge (1966), Demons Of The Mind (1971), The Brain Leeches (1977) and Newsfront (1978). He has also been seen on British television in The Sweeney, playing the title role in Uncle Jack And The Dark Side Of The Moon, and as Caspar Parton in the Goodbye George episode of Gerry Anderson's The Protectors. Now a DJ, Jones has his own show on BBC Radio 2.

Jon Laurimore has made numerous television appearances in series such as The Avengers, The Prisoner, Doctor Who, Callan, Target, The Enigma Files and, most recently, Dalziel And Pascoe. He was seen prominently as Lentulus in I, Claudius, Det. Insp. Gough in Operation Julie and Inspector Spratling in Jack The Ripper. Prior to his Space:1999 role, Laurimore appeared as a press reporter in the Border Line episode of Gerry Anderson's The Protectors.

&QUOT;Earthmen - do not resist. You are the captives of the planet Triton.&QUOT;

Maintenance engineer Ted Clifford is struck by an energy beam which transforms his brain into a computer relay station for an alien probe which captures the Moon within an energy ring. When Clifford's mind burns out, the probe seeks a new relay and a medical mission on the lunar surface provides it with the opportunity to capture Dr. Helena Russell. She later returns to Alpha, apparantly unharmed, but is revealed to be relaying information from the Alpha computer through an energy implant in her brain. In an attempt to free Helena from the probe's control before she suffers the same fate as Clifford, Koenig and Carter board the probe and discover that the computerised device is on a pre-programmed mission to destroy the human race!

Filming Schedule:

Wednesday, February 27th - Thursday, March 14th, 1974

Original UK Airdate: Thursday, January 15th, 1976 (ATV Midlands)

Notes:

Ray Austin directs the first of nine episodes of Space:1999. A former stuntman and fight choreographer, Austin turned his hand to directing on The Avengers and went on to direct episodes of The Saint, Department S, Randall And Hopkirk Deceased, The New Avengers and The Professionals. In the 1980s, he established himself in American television directing episodes of Salvage 1, Magnum p.i., Tales Of The Gold Monkey, Airwolf, Alfred Hitchock Presents, Highlander, Heaven Help Us and JAG. He has recently completed work on a new series of The Professionals.

Formerly with the band Christie (of "Yellow River" fame), Vic Elms is credited as Music Associate on every Year One episode, although his only compositions for the series' incidentals feature in this installment. The son-in-law of producer Sylvia Anderson, Elms had previously provided the music for Gerry Anderson's unseen series pilot The Investigator and arranged the electric guitar section of Space:1999's title music (an electric guitar arrangement by Elms of the series' theme can also be heard in Matter Of Life And Death). However, as music editor Alan Willis discovered to his dismay, although he could compose pop songs, Elms was unable to read music or understand the requirements of scoring music to cues for film incidentals. The majority of the scoring for the episode was completed by Willis, who also conducted the orchestra at the recording session. Elms was not invited to contribute to any further episodes.

Guest Artists:

Max Faulkner has appeared in supporting roles in a number of British television productions over the last thirty years including Doctor Who (seven times), The Saint, The Prisoner (twice), Arthur Of The BritonsSurvivors, The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes and Robin Of Sherwood. His film appearances include The Ipcress File (1965), Bedazzled (1967), Salt And Pepper (1968), Perfect Friday (1970), See No Evil (1971) and, most recently, GoldenEye (1995). Prior to his Space:1999 role, Faulkner appeared as Jarman in the The Tiger And The Goat episode of Gerry Anderson's The Protectors.

Screenplay by Anthony TerpiloffDirected by Charles CrichtonEdited by Mike Campbell

&QUOT;Hello, Earth. Hello, Earth. This is Commissioner Simmonds returning home after 75 years.&QUOT;

A Kaldorian spaceship en route to Earth crashes on the Moon and the Alphans find a crew of six on board in suspended animation. Their attempt to revive the crew accidentally kills one, but the surviving Kaldorians are understanding and a peaceful cultural exchange takes place. Koenig proposes that one Alphan could accompany the Kaldorians to Earth in the now vacant casket, and Captain Zantor agrees to the plan, stipulating that the chosen Alphan will have to be tested for compatibility with the Kaldorian suspended animation technology. The computer is set the task of choosing the one person who will return home, but Simmonds takes matters into his own hands, breaking into the power station and threatening to destroy Alpha unless he becomes the Kaldorians' passenger.

Filming Schedule:

Friday, March 15th - Monday, April 1st, 1974

Original UK Airdate: Thursday, December 4th, 1975 (ATV Midlands)

Notes:

This was the first episode to feature Barry Morse on-screen in the opening titles.

The white wig worn here by Christopher Lee was later passed on to be worn by Peter Cushing (in Missing Link), Margaret Leighton (in Collision Course), Leo McKern (in The Infernal Machine) and Joan Collins (in Mission Of The Darians). The wig actually starts to fall off as Zantor lays down in his casket towards the end of the episode, revealing Lee's dark hair underneath.

During the chilling final scene when Simmonds awakes to find himself trapped in the casket, one of the Kaldorians in the background appears to react to Simmonds' screams and sits up!

Earthbound has the distinction of being the only Year One episode not to be novelised by Futura Books, although certain elements of the story were incorporated into "The Space Guardians" by Brian Ball. However, the complete episode has now been novelised by E.C. Tubb (October 2001) and will be published by Fanderson's Century 21 Books imprint in 2003 as part of a new Space:1999 novel.

Guest Artists:

Christopher Lee celebrated his fiftieth year as a screen actor in 1997 and has the distinction of having made more film appearances (over 165) than any other living British actor. Highlights of his career include The Curse Of Frankenstein (1956), Dracula (1958), A Tale Of Two Cities (1958), The Hound Of The Baskervilles (1959), The Mummy (1959), Dracula: Prince Of Darkness (1965), Rasputin - The Mad Monk (1965), She (1965), The Face Of Fu Manchu (1965), The Devil Rides Out (1968), The Private Life Of Sherlock Holmes (1970), The Wicker Man (1973), The Three Musketeers (1974), The Man With The Golden Gun (1974), To The Devil A Daughter, Airport 77 (1977), Return From Witch Mountain (1978), Arabian Adventure (1979), 1941 (1979) and Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990). His television career has been less prolific although he has been seen in Ivanhoe, The Avengers (twice), One Step Beyond, Charlie's Angels, How The West Was Won, The Far Pavilions, Faerie Tale Theatre, The Tomorrow People and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. More recently, he starred as Lucard de Beaumanoir in the BBC's Ivanhoe series, appeared in a recurring role as Olwyn in The New Adventures Of Robin Hood and as Sir Richard Turkel in Russell Mulcahy's Talos The Mummy (1998). He recently appeared as Flay in the BBC adaptation of Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast and as Saruman in The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001). He was awarded a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for 2001.

Emily Bolton makes the first of five appearances in the series as Main Mission Operative June. Known professionally at the time as June Bolton, she guested in Return Of The Saint and The Enigma Files and appeared as Manuela in the 1979 James Bond film Moonraker before starring as Christine Campbell in the popular BBC series Tenko.

Rhonda Parker is best-known for her non-speaking role as Mother's assistant Rhonda in the last season of The Avengers.